Multiplayer was always free. It was only certain features that were not.

GFWL Gold exclusive features were:Matchmaking (the sort that automatically puts you in a game).Creating a game server or dedicated server.Cross-platform multiplayer (for the games that featured it).And a couple of other things.Reply

How is steam hard to live without as a serious PC Gamer?Only thing I ever use it for is to get games from it when they are on sale or possibly download a demo, all other games I order boxed online as that's often at least 10€ cheaper and I get a box and disc.Reply

They are already completely integrated. If you are logged into an account on one device you cannot sign into that same account on another. They are simply renaming Games For Windows Live, cashing in one the Xbox Live marketing, and making everyone pay now. Reply

GFW (L) is atrocious and pointless. it doesn't add anything and only detracts from the gaming experience. i still remember grappling with my PC trying to play batman AA due to the abortion called GFWLReply

Except it doesn't make the game the least bit heavier to run, if your computer couldn't handle it with GFWL it wouldn't without.Ill agree that it's pretty bad though, but that's because the in-game interface is so bad, that's really my only problem with GFWL.Reply